Balance unit and a basic posture balance process



April 9, c. o. GARBER 2,398,218

BALANCE UNIT AND A BASIC POSTURE BALANCE PROCESS Fi1. ed Feb. 28, 1945 Patented Apr. 9, 1946 OFFICE BALANCE UNIT AND A BASIC FOSTURE BALANCE PROCESS Gharles 0. Garber, Mount Joy, Pa.

Application February 28, 1945, Serial No. 580,122

2 Claims.

This invention relates to a balance unit and a basic posture balance process, and has for one of its objects the production of a simple and efiicient means and process of bringing the heel bone from an incorrect lateral position into a correct position so that the foot arch is brought back to normal and the patient is enabled to lock the knee joint.

A further object of this invention is the production of a simple and efficient method of placing the foot and limb of a patient in correct alignment and then taking an impression of the foot to produce a cast from which a balance unit is formed to be worn by the patient to continue the alignment shift of the bone structure until a complete correction has been effected.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will appear throughout the following specification and claims.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the balance unit;

Figure 2 is a transverse sectional view through the balance unit;

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view through the impression-taking means;

Figure 4 is a side elevatlonal view illustrating the manner of gripping the foot while taking an impression;

Figure 5 is a side elevational view of the opposite side of the foot while taking the impression;

Figure 6 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the correct balance of the body;

Figure 7 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the incorrect balance before correction is made;

Figure 8 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the first position in the process of taking the impression; I

Figure 9 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the second position;

Figure 10 is a diagrammatic view illustratin the direction in which the limb is drawn after it is extended;

Figure 11 is a top plan view of the sponge rubber cushion illustrating the position of the plastic impression compound which is placed upon the cushion;

Figure 12 is a top plan view illustrating the manner in which the impression compound is shaped by the hand of the operator;

Figure 13 is a transverse sectional view of the cushion and impression material before applying the same to the foot;

Figure 14 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line I 4-H of Figure 1.

By referring to the drawing, it will be seen that lfl designates the balance unit which is especially constructed for carrying out the basic posture balance process. In carrying out the process, the patient is seated on a chair or other support. An impression plate H is gripped by the hand as shown in Figures 3, 4 and 5. This plate ll comprises a sponge rubber cushion I2, which cushion |2 supports an impression composition is. This impression composition fits betweenJthe foot and the sponge rubber cushion i2 as shown in Figure 3 and is held in the proper position until the impression composition l3 hardens.

The foot is gripped by the right hand as shown in Figure 4, with the heel M of the right hand holding the arch as the fingers draw in the heel of the foot whilethe limb of the patient is extended, but relaxed, and the left hand aligns the forepart of the foot. The entire limb is then drawn in line as far as over-developed muscles will permit. Figure 5 illustrates how the foot is held to take the impression, the impression-taking means being held between the righthand and the heel of the foot. The steps of the process are as follows:

l. The patient is seated on a chair or other support with the operator in front facing the patient, and the impression-taking means is applied tothe-bottom of the foot under the heel as described above while the right leg is in the position shown in Figure 8, and the knee is flexed. This will allow complete rotation of heel'bone l5.

2. The limb is then extended to the position shown in Figures 9 and 10 while. pressure .is applied and held firmly in against the heel and, the limb is drawn inwardly in the direction of the arrow shown in Figure 10 until aligned, which is the point of perfect impression. It should be noted that the limb is drawn inwardlyafter it is extended to a position as far as the muscle pull will permit.

In carrying out the present process the entire body structure is taken into consideration, for the anterior and lateral imbalance of the body. By realigning the foot structure and drawing in the limb as the impression is made, a start has been made to realign lateral imbalance and the aligned balance um't described below will complete the correctional operation. As a result, the correction will be made from the position shown in Figure 7 to the position shown in Figure 6, and the body structure will run vertically in line due to the force of gravitation, and this is necessary if good balance and normal pressure on the feet are to result therefrom.

After the impression is taken the balance unit is constructed. This balance unit comprises a molded hard plastic portion i 6, the inner footengaging face I! of which conforms to the contour of the foot-contacting face of the hardened impression material I3. The bottom face [8 and vertical face If! extend at right angles to each other to provide the rigid or hardened portion l6 which is substantially wedge-shape in cross-section with a concave foot-engaging face IT. This may be accomplished in any suitable manner and the hardened portion l6 may be built to snugly fit the shoe of the wearer. The balance unit is also provided with a semi-flexible composition lateral and forward portion 20.

This brings the foot to its correct straight forward position in a short period of time. The balance unit is also provided with a soft pliable lateral portion 2| which extends laterally of the hard or rigid portion l6, and laterally and rearwardly of the semi-flexible portion 20, and is molded 1 mm. less than the impression to prevent excessive pressure on the longitudinal muscle that would prevent their proper function when the foot structure begins to flex.

It should be understood that the hard plastic portion l6 does not raise the foot, but slides and shifts the heel bone ill from the position shown in full lines in Figure 2 to the dotted line position which is its correct position, when the weight of the body is applied thereon. The balance unit is preferably covered with a white linen cover 9 so that pressure marks will show thereon when applied, and from these pressure marks, progress may be determined.

The same procedure is used for the left foot, using the right hand to cup the arch and draw the heel while using the left hand to align the forepart of the foot.

Of course, it should be understood that a positive plastic or plaster cast is made from the negative impression, and balanced, and from this cast the balance unit or units may be constructed or molded. The hard section I 6 which shifts the heel bone is directly under the gravitational line of force running from shoulder, hip, knee and limb, while the remaining portions 20 and 2| are made of semi-flexible and soft pliable material respectively, so as to flow to the points of least resistance as the foot structure returns to its normal position and action. When the unit is placed into the shoe the heel bone immediately begins to shift to it proper position within the gravitational force running through. the body structure, thereby immediately relieving strain upon lateral muscles by the imbalanced feet. This process will definitely realign the entire body structure.

As shown in Figure 11, the plastic impression compound 13 is illustrated as seated on the sponge rubber cushion 12, the plastic impression compound l3 being extended to a position to fit under the forward part of the foot. In Figure 12 the impression compound is illustrated as removed from the sponge rubber and i held in the hand to illustrate how the heel of the hand compresses the impression compound into the aligned arch while the fingers draw in the heel to proper alignment. The forepart of the impression compound is compressed to a line with the forepart of the foot with the left hand in the manner shown in Figure 5. The compound is shown as shaped to the proper shape of compression. In

Figure 13 the sponge rubber cushion l2 and the impression compound [3 are hown in the proper position before application to the foot.

A shown in Figures 1 and 14 the forepart of the balance unit when completed and constructed is reduced to quite a thin formation to extend under the bottom of the foot.

From the foregoing description, it will be noted that the present proces will bring the heel bone from its incorrect lateral position into correct alignment which bring the foot arch to normal and enables the patient to lock his knee joint. Then a forcible impression is made of the foot in its correctly aligned position by using a plastic moulding compound, after which a plaster cast is formed and a balance unit is made. The balance unit will continue to shift the bone structure until a complete correction is effected.

It should be understood that certain detail changes may be made in the present structure and process without departing from the spirit of the invention so long as these changes fall within the claims contained herein.

Having described the invention, what I claim as new is:

1. A balance unit of the class described comprising a hardened heel bone-shifting portion having a substantially upright outer face on one side and a substantially horizontally extending bottom face, the unit having a face concave in cross-section extending from the top of the upright outer face to the outer edge of the bottom face to provide a substantially wedge-like formation, the unit having a heel portion near one end and a tapering forward and laterally extending portion at its opposite end, the tapering forward portion being formed of semi-flexible composition and extending transversely across the for ward end of the unit, and a soft pliable laterally extending portion extending rearwardly of the forward and laterally extending portion and laterally of the hardened heel bone-shifting portion, the laterally extending and the hardened portions tapering to a minimum thickness, toward and merging into the soft pliable laterally extending portion.

2. A balance unit of the class described comprising a hardened heel bone-shifting portion having a substantially upright outer face on one side and a substantially horizontally extending bottom face, the unit having a face concave in cross-section extending from the top of the upright outer face to the outer edge of the bottom face to provide a substantially wedge-like formation, the unit having a heel portion near one end and a tapering forward and laterally extending portion at its opposite end, the taperingforward portion being formed of semi-flexible composition and extending transversely acros the forward end of the unit, a soft pliable laterally extending portion extending rearwardly of the forward and laterally extending portion and laterally of the hardened heel bone-shifting portion, the laterally extending and the hardened portions tapering to a minimum thickness toward and merging into the soft pliable laterally extending portion, and a flexible covering encasing the hard, semi-flexible and soft pliable portions completely shielding the junctions of the portions and preventing injury to the foot at the point of junction of aid portions.

CHARLES O. GARBER. 

